Regarding the White House Executive Order on U.S. Entry

Dear Berkeley Law Community,

As has been widely reported, President Donald Trump on Friday issued an executive order that restricts entry into the United States for 90 days for individuals from seven countries – Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. Based on news reports, individuals with immigrant and non-immigrant visas and those with green cards who are originally from these countries are being denied entry into the United States or undergoing extra screening.

On Saturday evening, a federal judge in Brooklyn issued a nationwide temporary injunction blocking the removal of refugees, visa-holders and others from the aforementioned countries who are “legally authorized to enter the United States.” The scope of the judge’s order, however, is not immediately clear.

At the moment, this situation is extremely fluid. The law school, UC Berkeley campus, and UC Office of the President have been monitoring reports and are working to determine the impact on students and others in the UC community. At this time, we are recommending that Berkeley Law students, visiting scholars, and employees from those seven countries who hold a visa to enter the United States, or who are lawful permanent residents, do not travel outside of the United States.

I recognize that this situation is deeply distressing to many of you, as it is to me. I have always been thankful for the warm welcome and support that my parents received when they came to the United States from Jamaica fifty years ago. The opportunities that I have enjoyed in my personal and professional life have only been possible due to the abundant generosity of a nation invested in the success of immigrants. Going forward, I want to reiterate that the law school will be a welcoming place for students, faculty, and staff of all backgrounds and beliefs.

We will continue to monitor this situation and offer guidance as we can. In the meantime, please be aware of the guidance and resources below.